Invitation to Submit an Expression of Interest for a Public Art Commission in Karlskrona

The municipality of Karlskrona invite professional artists to submit their expression of
interest in a sketch assignment for a site specific public art work in the new district of
Pottholmen in Karlskrona.

The commission is to propose a permanent public art project for the new Promenade by the
Sea, with a view over the archipelago and the World Heritage City. A jury/an art reference group

selects three artists who each receive a commission to sketch a proposal.

After the sketch presentation by the three artists, the reference group will select one
of the artists to produce the public artwork. A comprehensive Art Program for the district is
available for the sketch assignment and will be translated if any of the chosen artists don’t
read Swedish. The scheduled inauguration takes place at the earliest in June 2018, or at another month/year
that the artist propose in the sketch and in agreement with the art reference group/jury. This is
due to the nature of, and the long building process for, the entire Promenade.
Deadline to submit an expression of interest is 2016-11-15.

Conditions on the site
Pottholmen is the largest urban regeneration project in Karlskrona since the 1960s. The vision
is to create a meeting place, a communications point and a green neighbourhood. The district
Pottholmen will be a new entrance to Karlskrona and have its own character and a more
contemporary identity compared with the elements of the World Heritage City. The public art
commission at Pottholmen will be an important part of this work in process. The city of
Karlskrona was once built for defensive purposes, but the new district will instead
welcome residents and visitors. The municipality of Karlskrona wants to nuance the history of
Karlskrona and to highlight not one, but many stories about the inhabitants.

Background
Pottholmen has a long history with many layers of histories about the place. The
archaeological excavation shows that there was a pottery here in early history. During other
time periods, there was a distillery and later on a social welfare agency.
The area has served as a communications point to the city expansion of the main island
Trossö, since the advent of Karlskrona in the 17th century when the last of the five wood
bridges from the mainland to Trossö connected Pottholmen with the city.
The area has undergone major changes, infilling and traffic diversions.

Description of the artistic commission
The objective of this art commission is to work with the Sea Promenade. The art commission
should be places adjacent to the shoreline, and can be presented as one or several parts in a
coherent form. The art commission should be possible to be seen from the sea and from land,
in a close-up and from a distance. Three artists will be selected for a commission to sketch proposals.

They can propose one or several smaller art works for the Sea Promenade. The Promenade will be carried out in
stages during the building process, hence the open character of the location and date/time in
the sketch commission. The process provides the artists with the opportunity to collaborate
with architects, landscape architects, experts and the art reference group at an early stage.
The public art commission should be a unique part of the new meeting place Pottholmen and
should stimulate discussion and reflection for residents and visitors of all ages and from
different cultures. The artwork should relate to the environment and architecture in the district
of Pottholmen and contribute to the identity of the site in an innovative way.
The artwork should be produced in durable and sustainable materials and technologies, be
visible during both day and night and withstand all seasons and weather conditions. The artist
must take the environment into account the in the choice of materials and manufacturing.
Submitting an Expression of Interest An individual artist or a group of artists can submit an

expression of interest for the public art commission in the new district Pottholmen in Karlskrona.

The expressions of interest should include:
1. Name, personal data and contact information
(Name, postal address, phone, email address, social security number)
2. Name of firm/company if applicable.
3. Short presentation in text and photos of the most important reference works of public art
commissions or artistic projects of relevance to this assignment by the artist, with a maximum
of 10 images.
4. Brief explanation of why and how the artist wants to work with this mission (maximum one
A4-page)
5. Link to website if available.
6. A short CV with a presentation of artistic works and art projects/commissions in public
space, education and awards and references to at least two commissioners.

Selection criteria
The selection of artists will be made in a Jury/an Art Reference Group. The Jury/the Art
Reference Group consists of representatives from the municipality of Karlskrona, art experts,
artistic leader, architects, and the project manager for the new district of Pottholmen.

The evaluation process will be carried out in two stages.

Step 1:
During the first step three artists will be selected to create a sketch proposal for the art
commission. The selection criteria’s in the first evaluation are:
o A presentation in text and photos of the most important reference works of public art
commissions or artistic projects of relevance to this assignment by the artist and the
artists explanation for the commission (the articles 3-5 above)
o A short CV with a presentation of artistic works and art projects/commissions in
public space, education and awards, and references to at least two commissioners.
Three artists will be selected to make a sketch proposal for the art commission.

Step 2:
Three artists are commissioned to create and present sketch assignments for the public
artwork for the Pottholmen area. The sketch presentation should be realized in text, sketches.
pictures, choice of material, production budget and a time schedule. Details about how to
deliver the sketch assignment will be announced to the participating artist in the art program
for Pottholmen. Each artist receive a sum of 50 000 SEK excl. VAT for the sketch assignment.
One artist is selected to produce the commission after the sketch presentations.
The Municipality of Karlskrona reserves the right not to proceed with the sketch-proposals.
o In the second step the sketch assignments from the tree artists are reviewed.
The jury will especially bear in mind how the proposal relates to the environment and
the conditions on the site, to technical feasibility, sustainability as well as to the
innovative force and originality. For a more detailed description see under the criteria
reference example.

Evaluation Step 1 with starting point in two criteria
The Criteria Text- and Picture presentation

The objective of this art commission is to work with the Sea Promenade. The art commission
should be placed adjacent to the shoreline, and can be presented as one or several parts in a
coherent form. The art commission should be possible to be seen from the sea and from land,
in a close-up and from a distance. The public art commission should be a unique part of the
new meeting place Pottholmen and should stimulate discussion and reflection for residents
and visitors of all ages and from different cultures.

The art commission should
o be part of the vision of a meeting place and encourage meetings between people,
o relate to the environment and architecture in the district of Pottholmen,
o be realized in sustainable materials and techniques,
o contribute to the identity of the area and create character to it,
o be characterized by the words: interesting and startling,
o be visible during daytime and night,
o be influential contemporary art,
o withstand graffiti removal and the weather during all seasons,
o challenge and inspire rethinking,
o take the environmental aspects in the choice of materials and manufacturing into
account.

The Criteria Personal CV
The experience of the artist to work spatially and with larger art commissions for public space
and a resume of education, awards and references to commissioners.

The evaluation in the first step consists of the two criteria’s that will be valued as below:Text- and picture presentation 70 %
Personal CV 30 %
The final calculation of rating will be made according to the formula:
Final rating: = 0,7*rating text- and picture presentation + 0,3* rating personal VC
Example: 0,7*4+0,3*3 = 3,7

The three artists with the highest score will be selected to make a sketch proposal for the art
commission above.

Budget
The sketch assignment fees for the three selected artists/or artists’ group are 50 000 SEK
each. The total amount for the artistic production is 1 000 000 excl. VAT.
During step 1 the sketch assignment fee should cover all the expenses for the artist.
At least three trips to Karlskrona should be made in the artist’s commitment.
During step 2 all costs for the production and installation of the artwork should be included in
the budget. The budget shall include artists’ fee, all the materials, fabrication/installation,
subcontracting costs and potential employees, transport, insurance, fees for any employees,
protection for scribbling if necessary, rental of premises for the production and/or storage. All
trips to meetings (start-up meeting and sketch presentations) and during the installation of the
work should be included in the budget.
A description of the care and maintenance is included in the artist's commitment.
Installations related to constructions such as electrical wiring, construction installations
lighting and paving in the planned area will not burden the arts budget, but be paid for in the
budget for the construction and building of the district.

Who can apply?
To submit your expression of interest in a sketch assignment for a site-specific public artwork
in the new district of Pottholmen in Karlskrona, you should be an active, professional artist.
You should be approved as a company to pay taxes, or be able to use an external billing
company. Artist’s groups can also submit an expression of interest.
The decision and the notification of assignment for sketch proposals
The Jury/art reference group for Pottholmen will decide about which three artists who will
receive sketch assignments. The decision is published on the website of Karlskrona municipality.
The artists invited to sketch assignments will be notified by phone or email.
These artists must be on site in Karlskrona during the start-up meeting and for the sketchpresentations.

Time schedule

2016-09-27: Advertisement of the public art commission for Pottholmen district.
2016-11-15: Deadline to submit an expression of interest for the public art commission.
2017-01-12: Decision about the artists that are invited to make sketch proposals.
2017-02-15: Start-up meeting for the sketch proposals organized in Karlskrona.
The winning artists must take part of this meeting.

March 2016 - May 2017:

The artists work on their sketch proposals. During this period they should be in touch with the
artistic project leader.
June 2017: Presentation of a part of the first sketches and discussions with the Art Reference
Group and potential other expertise needed.
December 2017: Submission and presentation of the final sketch proposals.
The Art Reference Group will take the decision about which artistic proposal that is to be
produced. The production of the art commission can start according to agreements with the
Art Reference Group. The date for installation of the artwork should be done in coordination
with the construction of the Pottholmen district.

Mail address for the expression of interest
Expressions of interest must be submitted by postal service to:
Karlskrona kommun
Kommunledningsförvaltningen
Upphandlingsavdelningen
371 83 Karlskrona
Sweden
The envelope should be marked with: Expression of Interest for a Public Art Commission in
the new district Pottholmen in Karlskrona, Sweden.

Questions
Questions regarding the public art commission for the Pottholmen district can be sent in
writing to Opic/Karlskrona municipality/The procurement site/ and should be
received no later than 2016-11-04 to be answered before the deadline for submission of
expressions of interest. Answers to questions are collected in one document no later than
2016-11-08.
Plans and drawings for the Pottholmen district are available here:
www.karlskrona.se/sv/Projekt/Pottholmen/

Employer
Karlskrona municipality is the employer and will sign the contracts with the artists.